Pneumatic elastic suspension for vehicles



May 25 1926. 1,586,340

G. TARAGLIO PNEUMATIC, ELASTIC SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed June 261924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor May 25,1926. 1,586,340

1 G. TARAGLIO PNEUMATIC ELASTIC SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed June 26,1924 2 Sheets-She et 2 1111111!!1!!11!!!IllllllllIlllllllllllIIlIlIllIIlIlIIIII/l Inventor: Guise /06 1 gPatented May 25 1926.

UNITED STATES GI'USEPPE TARAGLIO, OF EDIE ITALY. v

PNEUMATIC ELASTIC SUSPENSION IOB VEHICLES.

Application filed June 26,

This invention relates to adevice constituting a perfect pneumaticelastic suspension mtended to eliminate the necessity of the usualsemi-elliptical springs. 6 In the annexed drawings showing a practicalembodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the deviceap lied to the wheel and to the frame of the ve icle;

Figure 2 is an end view of the same devlce; 1

Figures 3 and 4 are details thereof; Figures 5 and 6 show the deviceapplied tothe wheel of a -motorcar seen from one side and from the toprespectively.

As it can be seen in the drawing, the clastic suspension, according tothis invention includes; a supportl, with a pivot 2, fastened on theframe of the vehicle 3 and hearing an angle lever 4 with two arms 5 and6; the arm 5 bears a pivot joint 7 which connects it to a, cylinder 8placed horizontally on the frame, and is connected at its end to aspiral sprin 9; the arm 6 is pro- 2 vided with a longitudinal holewherein en- 7 lgages a pivot 10, ending in a c lindrical ead 11 throughwhich is bore a hole. Within the cylinder 8 runs aplunger 12 which isnot air tight, the stem of the plunger passing into a sleeve of thescrew cover' of the cylinder is'connected at 7 to the arm 5 of the lever4. The'bottom of the cylinder bears an extension which may be screwed ona ball joint 14 carried by the.

I! support 13 fastened on the frame of the vehicle; the position of theextension in the joint being adjusted by screwing. it'inore or ess onthesupport itself.

The splral spring 9 is placed outside the l0 cylinder 8. and-almost in aparallel line to t e latter; it is hooked on oneside on the end of arm5. and on the other onauball joint 14 forming also a part of support13.,

. The support 13 carry1ng the ball joints It bears a small hand wheel.15with a screw nut, by means of which can be adjusted the tension of thespiral spring 9.

Two flat steel bars 16 arevlinked one on one side of the frame end17,just like the uaual semi-elliptical springs, and on the other by meansof a in 36, on a U-shaped attachment v1'8 rotata le about a pivot 20passin throu h a support37 placed below the ax e 19 an secured to'thelatter by means 56 of screws or-bolts,"-said'attaehment being .the rearsprings have each, 5 and 6,

of the back axle casing, the said collar s'aidfco 1924. Serial No;722,584.

thus free to oscillate about an axis at right angles tothat of the axle19. The attachment 18 hasalso the second rod 16 attached to it in thesame manner as rod 16, the second rod being connected to the shackles 2160 V on the frame.

said pivot being arranged wit in a. longi tudinal slot or socket in thearm 6 of the bell crank lever 4 where itrmay oscillate, a key or pin 35securing the pivot 10 within the said arm 6,. The bars which substitutea loose joint 25, designed to prevent any distortion stress in theworking of the suspension. Said loose joint is form'ed by a plaincylindrical sleeve 26 wherein enters the cylindrical extension 27 of theremain-' ing part of the bar connected to the shackle 21. A key 28suitably inserted, prevents the parts formin the joint coming out of engagement an also limiting their angle of axlal oscillation. For'applying the suspension to the rear axle of motor cars (Figures 5 and6), the rods at their ends nearest the axle are pivoted to the collar 29oscillating in reslpect ing'an extension 31 within which the end 30 of;.the pivot 10 enters and is pivoted to the ar, the pivot being mounted ina longitudinal slot or socket-1n the arm 6 of the bell crank lever 4.

Every shock of the wheel, caused by the unevenness of the soil is almostcompletely absorbed by the work necessary in moving the plunger 12within the cylinder 8; sai plunger tendingfo return in 'ItSfOI'mGI'position, owing to t e effect-of the spring 9.

"Inorder to graduate the resistance of the air during the movement ofthe plunger, the bottom 32 is provided with efilux orts some of whiclr,are controlled by flex1 1e valves. 33 them automatically during therfirst displacement of the plunger; and open them on the return stroke.

The flexible valves 33 are made of leather or any other elasticsubstance; their movement 1n either direction, to close or open the 110corresponding ports, is determined by the compression of the air causedby the movement of the plunger.

The object ofthis arrangement of the valves is to obtain a quickerreturn of the plunger 12 so as to allow the latter to be as soon aspossible ready to pneumatically deaden the shock received, should aSecond obstacle present itself under the wheel. The closing of thevalve, which takes place when the plunger is compelled to come out fromthe cylinder on account of the shock. received by the wheel, prevents atoo rapid movement of the plunger, thus securing to the latter asufficient work to deaden or check the shock. Besides the valves placedon the bottom 32 of the plunger'others may be provided upon one or morediaphragms 34 wherewith the plunger might be sup lied inside. Saidvalves have the same 0 ject as those already described and warrant evena better Working of the plunger for the purpose aimed at.

The above valves are very plain and are fastened at the bottoms and tothe'diaphragms by means of simple screws. The valves can be of anysuitable known type such as ball valves or the like.

Claims 1. A flexible suspension system for vehicles, comprising a bellcrank lever, a pneu ma tic resistance device attached to the one arm-ofsaid lever, means for the attachment of the other arm to the axle of thevehicle,

an attachment cap-able of oscillation about an axis at-right angles tothe said axle, and a pair of rods, each pivotally connected at one endto the vehicle frame and at the opposite end to the said attachment.

2. A suspension system accordingto claim 1, in which the said resistancedevice comprises a cylinder, a plunger mounted within the cylinder, aplurality of air valves in the piston for permitting the passage of airwhen the piston is moving in one direction and preventing the passage ofair when the piston is moving in the opposite direction, and a springconnected to the said bell'crank lever for returning the piston to itsnormal posltion.

3.- A suspension system according to claim 1, in which the resistancedevice comprises a cylinder, a plunger working within the cylinder, aspring'for returning the piston to its normal position, and means forthe attachment of the said cylinder and of the said spring to the frameof the vehicle comprising universal ball joints, a screw threaded rodpassing through the joint for the said spring, and a hand wheel on thesaid rod for adjusting the tension of the spring. i

4. A suspension system according to claim 1, in which the connectionbetween the bell crank lever and the axle 0 the vehicle comprises abearing mounted on and extending mounted in the said socket, and abearing on the outer end of the said pin for receiving the pin carriedby the said web.

5. A suspension system according to claim 1, in which the saidoscillating attachment comprises a U-shapedmember, a pivot be neath andparallel to the axle of the vehicle for carrying said member,'and meanson the upper ends of the said member for the pivotal connection thereofto the said rods which take the place of the usual leaf springs.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature this 10th day of June,1924.

GIUSEPPE TARAGLIO.

